23 June 2008

The Chairmen of the National Assemblies of Bulgaria and Vietnam Georgi Pirinski and Nguyen Phu Trong adopted on 23 June 2008 a declaration for cooperation. A delegation headed by Nguyen Phu Trong was on an official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of Georgi Pirinski, on 20-23 June 2008.
The document states clearly the will of the two countries for closer cooperation in coordinating and implementing programmes for useful contacts between parliamentary committees and friendship groups and the administration of the two parliaments, noted Georgi Pirinski to his counterpart. According to him the relations between Bulgaria and Vietnam in the spheres of trade, economy. social policy, science and education need without any doubt parliamentary support to complement the efforts for finding solutions.
The National Assembly Chairman emphasized that there was a considerable potential for further enlargement of the bilateral business partnership taking into account the dynamic economic development of Bulgaria and Vietnam.
Nguyen Phu Trong noticed that the annual growth rate of the Vietnamese economy was around 7 per cent and that his country aims at stabilizing its macroeconomic indicators. The export of Vietnam for EU countries during 2007 amounted to USD 8.1 milliard and against this number commerce with Bulgaria is modest, only USD 47M. In his opinion, the business representatives of the two countries should use more efficiently the opportunities for partnership.
In his statement for the media, Chairman Pirinski noted that relations between Bulgaria and Vietnam were entering a new phase, thanks to the successful reforms initiated in both countries and the new role the two countries were assuming in the international organizations. He also pointed to the joint Declaration, adopted during the visit, for cooperation between the two parliaments, where the two countries undertake to reinforce the exchange of information and expertise, in the legislative field in particular. The regulatory framework for investments, the adoption of new forms of economic cooperation and the running of the two parliaments should be considered areas of special interest in the legislative field. There is a considerable interest for educational, including students and scientific exchange. The development in the field of tourism requires special attention, considered Georgi Pirinski.
He also explained that as a member of EU, Bulgaria has actively participated in the coordination process for drawing up the agreement between the Union and Vietnam, the latter being regarded by it to be a promising partner. The EU has invested more than USD 6 milliard in Vietnam, and the Vietnamese export for the Union amounts to over USD 8 Milliard. This is an immense partnership that requires a serious political and contractual legal support, stressed Mr. Pirinski..
The Vietnam’s Parliamentary Chair Nguyen Phu Trong noted that as a member of ASEAN since 1995, his country works actively to promote the good relations between Bulgaria and the ASEAN members. He also said the Foreign affairs committees of the two parliaments will be given the task to elaborate a specific plan and outline the aspects of cooperation between them.
The members of the Vietnamese parliamentary delegation laid wreaths at the “Unknown soldier” monument in Sofia. Later on, the two chairmen also opened a bilateral business forum.
The Vietnamese delegation was received by the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Georgi Purvanov and by Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev.